The Gift of Knowledge: Galbatorix
by jadesecrets
Summary: One-shot,SPOILER: The final battle between King and Rider from Galbatorix's POV. After Murtagh and Eragon fight.


SPOILER: If you haven't finished Inheritance then you won't want to read this.

Disclaimer: I own no part of the Inheritance Cycle, and if I did I wouldn't be writing this because I'd be rich beyond my wildest dreams.

The Gift of Knowledge: Galbatorix

Galbatorix's final moments as from his view…yeah it probably sucks but that what people reviewing helps, I'll know what to fix in future pieces. So please read and review.

It was a good fight. Both Murtagh and Eragon had fought as they should. They both had hits and misses and he was that the fight was ending as Eragon gave one final thrust to Murtagh's stomach. Murtagh dropped his sword on the floor and he doubled over with his arms around his waist.

"Niana" Galbatorix said and dozens of lanterns throughout the chamber sprang to life, once again revealing the pillars and carvings along the walls and the block of stone where Nasuda stood chained. Galbatorix watched as Eragon ambled on over to his brother Murtagh and kneel. "And to Eragon goes the victory."

Galbatorix, even with his enhanced hearing, did not need to strain his ears to hear the two brothers talk.

"You couldn't just let me win, could you? You can't beat Galbatorix, but you still had to proved that you are better than me…Ah," Miurtagh shuddered with pain and began to rock back and forth on his shins.

"Because I hoped to gain his favor so that I could save _her_ " Eragon pointed towards Nasuda.

"You tricked me."

"It was the only way."

Murtagh grunted. "That was always the difference between you and me. You were willing to sacrifice yourself. I wasn't…. Not then."

"But now you are."

"I'm not the person I once was. I have Thorn now, and…" he shrugged. "I'm not fighting for myself anymore…It makes a difference." Murtagh winced as he attempted to take a deep breath. "I used to think you were a fool to keep risking your life as you have….I know better now. I understand…why. I understand….I understand—_we_ understand". Galbatorix began to worry, he knew now that Murtagh had truly changed, his true name had changed and he no longer had control over Murtagh or Thorn.

"Enough of this talk," he barked. "Your duel is over, and Eragon has won. Now the time has arrived four our guests to bend their knees and give to me their oaths of fealty…Come closer, the both of you, and I shall heal your wounds, then we shall proceed." Galbatorix watched as Eragon began to rise but Murtagh attempted to stop him.

"Now or I will leave you to suffer from your wounds until we have finished." Galbatorix saw Murtagh mouth something but could not read what, all he knew was that it was not the ancient language or his wards would have stopped whatever magic it was. He saw Eragon look back and nod at the elf, dragon, and many Eldunarí. Galbatorix was just about ready to shout at the boy again but his brother pushed Eragon down and while still clutching his gaping wound shouted the Word. Galbatorix, lifted his hand as if to shield himself, but Murtagh still shouted and more words in the ancient language flew forth and Galbatorix knew he was in trouble if Murtagh had truly turned on him.

It took a lot out of him to keep himself from howling in pain as the air around him flashed red and black, giving the appearance that he was wreathed in flames and the winds howled as Galbatorix felt something leave his body. To make it worse, Galbatorix through his own pain, could hear and feel the pain of Shruikan as the damned dragons, Thorn and Saphira, attempted to lop off his head. He could feel the ground shake as Shruikan attempted to throw the two dragons off his back. Through his pain and anger, Galbatorix shouted the Word and _letta_ and everyone one in the room was bound, including his own dragon, and the room fell silent.

"Get him!" Eragon both shouted with such force that even Galbatorix could hear his mind shouting in unison. In that moment Eragon struck with such force at Galbatorix's mind that he felt Eragon intrude, but as soon as the boy entered, Galbatorix stuck back with the power all the Eldunarí. Heard the little girl utter a word but before she could speak more he shouted "Theyna" and she stopped with a choked gurgle, as if he had cut off her air.

"I stripped him of his wards!" shouted Murtagh from across the room. "He's—"

But Galbatorix would not have it, he would not have the traitorous Murtagh weaken him any further. Furious he kept Murtagh from speaking by cutting off his air until he collapsed, then he turned to Eragon. "I have plenty of wards. You cannot harm me. He finally rose from his throne and strode towards Eragon, his cape billowing like an overgrown bat around him and his sword gripped in his hand ready to strike. He got to Eragon and glared at him.

"Think you to challenge me, _boy_? Tkink you to be my equal? That you could lay me low and steal my throne?" He took the edge of his cape and shoved it in Eragon's face. "I cut this mantle from the wings of Belgabad himself, and my gloves too. I took this sword from Vrael's hand, and I took this crown from the head of the mewling wretch who wore it before me. And yet you think to outwit me? _Me_? You come to my castle, and you kill men, and you act as if you are _better_ than I. As if you are more _noble_ and _virtuous_." He paused for a moment to strike Eragon with the pommel of his sword, to make him see reason. "You need to be taught a lesson in humility, boy." He put his face inches from Eragon and struck him on the other cheek with the pommel of his sword.

"I shall enjoy having you in my service. Gánga." Galbatorix watched as Eragon physically relaxed as the pressure that the Eldunarí stopped attacking his mind. Then he began his attack. He jabbed his mind viciously at Eragon's mind, attempting and rendering it in two thoroughly breaking his mind. He was driven by anger at the death of his first dragon, anger at the injury of Shruikan, anger that this pathetic being who called himself a rider dare try to defy him. But through the anger he felt pleasure, that his enemy's mind would surely break, pleasure in seeing his enemy's pain. He felt a few feeble stabs at his own mind by the boy and further twisted the blade of his thought further into Eragon's mind. He heard the boy scream.

"Submit," he grabbed Eragon's chin as he further stabbed at Eragon's mind. He felt his presence towering over Eragon's mind, he gleamed in satisfaction that he almost had Eragon's mind, he whispered this time, "Submit. You have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide…This life is at an end for you, Eragon Shadeslayer, but a new one awaits. Submit, and all shall be forgiven." Galbatorix waited for an answer as he watched tears stream down the boy's face. He knew he had won, the boy had not will left, he knew that Eragon knew that it was all for nothing, all the deaths, all the battles, all the sacrifices. "Submit."

Galbatorix could see the turmoil inside Eragon, he could see that the boy was losing it, that he no longer saw a way out. He bore down with even greater force on the boy's mind and shouted again, "Submit!" The boy cried out again and Galbatorix smiled, he had finally one, the boy was going to give up and Galbatorix was going to bind him to him using the ancient language. Suddenly he felt a presence in his mind that he had never felt before, so massive it towered over his own conscience and he felt his mind snap.

He understood, he finally understood. He saw in his mind the hundreds of thousands of people suffering under his rule, how they lived in fear, in fear of Urgals, and him, and all sorts of evil magic that they thought he might cast upon them. He felt their empty stomachs and their anger of injustice. He felt their happiness when they thought of peace in the kingdom, free of his rule, free of the Varden. He saw their want to do away with magic and their gratefulness for it. He saw as his mother gave birth to him, happy at his arrival even as she was still feeling pain for bringing him into this world. He felt how wrong it was to manipulate his parents into letting him do whatever he wanted. He felt the sorrow of his parents rather untimely deaths and the joy he felt when he celebrated it afterward. He saw himself receiving his dragon and the happiness that followed. He felt the unmistakable pain and sorrow of a Rider losing their dragon and the pure hatred that followed when he went to avenge his dragon. He saw himself killing off hundreds of dragons and their riders and he felt their pain as they wept for the loss of their dearest friend. Here could hear the angry voices of his people wishing for the turmoil to stop, and the thousands of coices of the furious Eldunarí and their hate towards him for killing their time. He felt the torture that he had put Shruikan through.

"What have you don't?" he said in a painfully strained voice, "_What have you done_?"

The boy Eragon looked at him with no pity and said, "Made you understand."

Galbatorix felt the feelings of all he had ever known, of all he had ever hurt, of all he had ever ruled over; their anger, their happiness, their fear, everything. He heard the voices of the dragons, pained by the loss of the Riders, the voices of all those he had wronged. Worst of all he knew that all he had ever done was wrong. He knew each action he had done since birth had ultimately been the stepping stone to his descent into darkness. His entire body began to shake with understanding and he bared his teeth. "You will not get the better of me boy. You…will…not…".

He groaned and staggered and fell to the floor, and the spell he had been using to hold Eragon in place vanished. Filled with confusion and understanding that was tearing him apart he did not notice that all that had been frozen in their spots had gotten free.

"I…shall…not…give…in," still determined, Galbatorix took Vrangr, his sword, in his hand and looking like a madman he swung the sword at Eragon in an attempt to end the spell. He missed, hitting the stone next to the boy's head. He shouted and lunged at Eragon, and Eragon actually attempted to fight back. He swung and their swords clanged together. Every thrust grew steadily worse and each jab missed its mark. Eragon after ducking a particularly savage crosscut from Galbatorix, thrust his sword into Galbatorix's armpit where to his and the King's surprise, he had drawn blood. Galbatorix, through his pain, blood and tears, continued to destroy his enemy. He watched as Eragon fell onto his hands, sword still in hand. Galbatorix was ready to deliver the deathblow, but in his mind he heard the worst of what he had ever done. The spell Eragon had cast was finally incapacitating the King, he could no longer function and nearly dropped his own sword.

"No! I didn't…" He looked at Eragon and shouted, "Make it stop!" He could feel the pain from Shruikan as the blue dragon attempted to tear of his head and break his neck. He charged at Eragon again, swinging his sword wildly. He hit the boy across his midsection and saw Eragon falter for a moment. "Make it stop," he pleaded. "The pain…"

He looked at Eragon with hatred. He wanted nothing more than the spell to end, but just as he was about to plead for a second time, he felt an agonizing pain that wasn't his own. He felt as if there were two bodies on his own, as if he was being held down, and bites all over his neck. Then all at once he felt a piercing pain in his eye that wasn't his own either, a pain that forced its way into his brain. The pain penetrated to his core…and then it stopped. The entire room shuddered, and Galbatorix didn't care, he saw now that he could no longer win, he was at the boy's mercy. He knew that with the death of Shruikan and with the elf and girl free, along with the betrayal of Murtagh, even if he could get the boy to remove the spell, he was greatly outnumbered without his dragon.

With a burst of energy that only a person who knows they're doomed can pull off, Galbatorix gave s swing at Eragon's head in an attempt to decapitate him. The boy ducked and before he knew it, Galbatorix found a sword in the center of his stomach. He grunted in surprise and in pain and stepped back which drew Eragon's sword out of him. With is sword in one hand he took his other hand and touched his wound, when he lifted his hand towards his face he found that his fingers were coated in blood. He looked past his hand and at Eragon who was still holding the blade as if Galbatorix had never moved.

"The voices…the voices are terrible. I can't bear it…" He closed his eyes and fresh tears cascaded down his face and onto the floor. "Pain…so much pain. So much grief…Make it stop! _Make it stop_!" He could feel the death of his dragon and the hundreds of other dragons, he could feel the feeling of betrayal from the Riders who's dragons he had slay and their grief and then their deaths, he could still feel the anger of Shruikan who he realized that he had made suffer decades and then his untimely death.

"No," Eragon said to the King. Galbatorix's eyes snapped open, but the pupils were barely visible as an unnatural amount of white showed. He stared at his past, the suffering of all those he had inflicted harm upon. He heard the girl shriek over the cacophony of his own memories. "Waíse néiat!"

The last thing he felt was the happiness of others at his own demise and the world around him grew brighter than the sun and ceased to exist.


End file.
